Tales of a Forgotten Minish
by Haayls
Summary: When tragedy strikes a small Minish town in the middle of spring, a bratty and somewhat spoiled ten-year old Minish named Vaati loses his only family member, forcing Vaati to make some decisions that he doesn't like. Will anything teach Vaati to grow up?


**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

Friday, April 25

I have the day off of school, so I had to go to market today with mother. I hate going there, so many other Minish that just stare at you and…Mrs. Ripico…Ug! She always has to pinch my cheek saying, "Oh my! Isn't he the cutest little thing?" But mother says I shouldn't be so negative about her, and I guess maybe, I shouldn't. I remember I used to like going to the market with my mother and my father. But I don't like to anymore, I think it's just because I'm growing up. I'm already ten years old, almost eleven. That's a big number. And things change when you hit the big two-digits; candy doesn't seem to taste as good anymore, it's hard to have an imagination, you don't get as much attention, adults expect more of you…

Mom says different, she says that ever since my father died five years ago, I haven't been the same. Maybe it's true, and maybe it isn't, but I'm about to tell you something that I really don't feel like telling you. It makes me sick just to think about it.

**Chapter One**

It was Friday, and all of the Minish were bustling about their little town. It wasn't the best of days, the sky was covered in clouds and the sun was blocked out. The air was misty and humid and dew drops rested on the blades of grass. It was early in the morning, so the sun was resting on the horizon. It was the end of April, which meant raining season was almost over, but, it was still as wet and as rainy as the beginning of April. It was a good time to socialize with others. All of the Minish enjoyed it, except one.

"Mom! Do I _have_ to go with you?" Came a complaining voice.

"Yes, Vaati. I already told you, I can't just leave you home alone and you know that with our tight budget we can't afford a babysitter!" said Mrs. Picoru, his mother, holding his hand.

"This isn't fair! I'm ten years old, I don't need a babysitter, I don't need someone to tell me what to do," Vaati pulled away from his mother's grasp, "And I DON'T need my mom to hold my hand!"

"Vaati, please stop this nonsense! Take my hand, before you get lost in the crowd." said Mrs. Picoru patiently.

"No! I'm not going to get lost! I'm tired of you treating me like a baby!!" Vaati screamed. Everyone stopped and stared at him and there was an awkward silence. Mrs. Picoru glared at Vaati as she snatched his arm and dragged him. This is one of the many things that Vaati did not like.

"Quit making a scene!" Mrs. Picoru whispered angrily.

"NO, I WON'T STOP MAKING A SCENE UNTIL YOU TREAT ME LIKE MY OWN AGE!!" Vaati pulled away from his mother again. The Minish stopped and looked again, but not for too long as they were starting to get used to seeing Vaati fight with his mother. Mrs. Picoru gritted her teeth and mumbled under her breath, "Now, Vaati!"

"No!" he crossed his arms stubbornly and sat down on the ground.

"Get up, Vaati!"

"No!"

"Right now!"

"Make me!" Vaati pouted.

"That's it," his mother pulled on the collar of his purple robe and led him out of the market, "I am sick and tired of your griping! If you expect me to treat you like a ten-year old, then act like one!" Vaati slumped and made a face as his mother dragged him by the collar out of the market.

The two were about half way down the hill from the village, and quite a ways from Vaati's home. They live far off in the woods, away from all the noise. It was a quaint little house. It was a mushroom and had two stories. The kitchen, the parlor, the bathroom, and Mrs. Picoru's room was downstairs and Vaati's room was upstairs.

Dark, gray rain clouds started to cover over. Mrs. Picoru stopped in her tracks and stared up at the sky. She was frozen. Her face was pale as a sheet and her eyes were steely. She looked as if she had seen a ghost.

Vaati stopped a few moments after she did, slightly bumping into her. He did a double take at the sky. Looking up, looking at his mom, looking up, looking back at his mom.

"What are we doing?" Vaati asked.

"Oh…no…" Mrs. Picoru trembled. Not one more word came from her mouth.

**Chapter Two**

"Mom, what are you afraid of? They're just clouds." said Vaati.

"They're not just any clouds, Vaati, they're rain clouds. And do you know what that means? Rain." Rain was one of the top killers of Minish and as soon as that first rumble of thunder boomed, Vaati and his mother jumped. Vaati was surprised it hadn't made his ear drums burst.

"Get ready to run." Mrs. Picoru said. Vaati felt his heart pound against his scrawny chest. A loud crash of thunder broke out. And with that, huge raindrops started to fall. They were like giant cannonballs that were almost impossible to avoid. Water gathered up on top of the leaves of the clover that the mother and child were using as shelter. But they couldn't stay there forever. They would be stranded. There was so much water the clover couldn't hold one more drop. The leaf tilted down and splashed all the water onto the ground.

"Run!" Mrs. Picoru screamed. As she dashed out from the clover and across the dirt road.

"Wait! Wait! I can't keep up with you!" Vaati cried out, wanting to follower her, but his feet were planted. Watching the water come down like it just did terrified Vaati and he didn't want to risk getting killed by it.

"Hurry up!" Mrs. Picoru said impatiently. Motioning her hand for her son to come over to her.

Vaati just stood on the other side of the road, "I'm not going! I don't want to get killed!"

"You get your butt over here right now, young man! Before the current comes!"

"But it's safer over here! I'm staying right here until the rain stops!"

"No, it's not! You can either stay there and die, or follow me and we might be able to get back home in time." said Mrs. Picoru, getting annoyed with Vaati's stubbornness. Just then, a big whoosh of water came streaming down the hill making it impossible for the young Minish to reach his mother now. The dirt road was now a muddy river. He stared down nervously at the rapid waters.

"Uh…uh…" he gulped and took one step forward. Suddenly he felt himself being shot down the rapids. "AHHH!!" he screeched at the top of his lungs. "Mommy, help me!"

"I'm coming, sweetheart!" she ran down the hill, still on land. But she wasn't fast enough, Vaati was just going way to fast for her. He was soon just a purple spec in the distance. _There's only one way to get to him at such a high speed._ Mrs. Picoru thought as she lifted one foot and set it down in the water. WHOOSH!!

Meanwhile, further down the road, which was now a dangerous river, there was a large ditch and the water got deeper. _I can swim! I can swim!_ Vaati thought. But no matter how much he wanted to believe that he could swim, he just couldn't. Struggling to stay above the water, he kicked his legs and swung his arms as if he were trying to escape from a kidnapper. "MOMMIIIIEEE!!" he screamed, his head just high enough for him to scream. He tried to breathe underwater but water filled his lungs. Yearning to cough, but he knew he could not. He felt like screaming, but, that he could not do either. Vaati was starting to black out as he stopped breathing and his heart beat got slower and slower. Thump…thump….thump…..thump……thump………

Sinking deeper and deeper into the cold, black water, Vaati started to feel his life disappear…

**Chapter Three**

Vaati awoke to a blinding light. He squinted his red eyes, the light burned them for a moment until his eyes adjusted. The sound of birds chirping and the whistle of a gentle breeze blowing calmed him. '_It was all just a dream. It was just a really bad dream.' _he thought as he looked around at his surroundings. Vaati knew the whole area around where he lived, but this place didn't look familiar to him. The grass was greener. He found himself leaning up against the stem of a daisy, an old man with long white hair and a long white beard, wearing a green robe, and hold a staff with the shape of a bird's head at the top was leaning over him. '_What the--!? I can't believe I didn't notice that guy!'_

"Ah, you're awake." the man said cheerfully.

"Who…who are you?" Vaati asked.

"Oh, silly me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ezlo. I am a renowned sage and a famous craftsman." Ezlo smiled.

'_Famous?! How come I've never heard of you?!' _Vaati thought. '_Yeah, yeah. You're just making yourself seem important to impress me.' _

"And what is your name, young man?" Ezlo continued.

"Uh…Vaati…say, have you seen my mother?"

"Your mother, m'boy?"

"Yeah. She has long purple hair, blue eyes, she was wearing a red dress, and she was wearing a red conical hat."

Ezlo put his hand over his mouth. "Oh," he said.

"…what?" Vaati.

"Uh…come with me, child." Ezlo said.

'_Come with you? Come with YOU?! Ha! As if I'm going to let ANOTHER adult take control over me!' _Though Vaati felt tired and weak, he figured the best way to avoid being whacked was to obey Ezlo.

They started to walk through the forest of tall flowers. It was about five minutes until they reached the town, but it felt like five hours to Vaati.

Everyone in the village sobbed over their deceased loved ones. In that crowd of dead bodies, he saw his mother. Something whirled around in Vaati's head for a moment or two.

"…No…" he began, "NO!!" Vaati rushed to his mother, shaking her, he shouted, "Mom! Wake up! It's me, Vaati!" No response. He shook her harder, attempting to wake her.

"Come on! Wake up! Wake up!" he lowered his head, resting it against his mother's chest. Tears welled up in his eyes and trickled down his hot cheeks.

Suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder, it was Ezlo's.

"I'm sorry." he said.

'_I'm sorry? Is that all you can say? Sorry?! My mother just died, and that's all you have to say!?'_

"She's not dead! She can't be!"

"Vaati, she's dead, you'll just have to face the facts, son." Ezlo said gently, stroking Vaati's hair.

"Back off! I'm not your son!" he slapped Ezlo's hand away. Ezlo stood silently as Vaati sobbed over his mom. Half an hour went by and most of the Minish that had been there before him and Ezlo had already left. Vaati was still kneeling by his mom, crying his eyes out.

"Vaati, would you like to come and take a walk with me for a while?" Ezlo whispered, wanting to take Vaati's mind off of his mother.

He didn't want to go with Ezlo and just abandon his mom there. But he obeyed.

"Yes, Ezlo." he sighed, gasping, about to start crying again.

"Come on." Ezlo's soft voice was calming, but Vaati was still very upset. "So, where do you live?" Ezlo continued.

"…Down that road over there…" he didn't want to go down that unforgiving road again…

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**I just recently found a young boy at the very bottom of the water when that great big flood hit that village. He wasn't moving, not breathing, and barely alive. The water had settled down, so it was safe to walk across. I picked the boy up and carried him off, setting him down against the stem of a daisy. He woke up without a clue of where he was or what happened. Turns out this young lad has a name: Vaati. He was wondering where his mother was and since I had only gone to the small village for some errands, I didn't know anyone there. He found his mother in the group of dead bodies, the poor boy just cried and cried.**

**Chapter Four**

Ezlo and Vaati started to walk down the sopping wet road, where he and his mother had been earlier that morning. The rapid river had died down into a small stream of water. There was an awkward silence.

"I feel very badly about your mother, Vaati. I'm sorry. I truly am." said Ezlo. Vaati didn't say anything, he just looked ahead, with an angry look. Ezlo continued talking. "How about this weather? You know, that sound is actually the sound of a cicada. They don't come out unless the weather is hot or humid."

"I shouldn't have been so stubborn with her. I should have just did what she said." Vaati said.

"I know you miss her, I lost a friend of mine once. It was way back when I was a young teenager. The day seemed to be going just fine, until we heard a big, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! It was a human, trying to catch us!" Vaati rolled his eyes, but Ezlo didn't see, "I ran and ran until my lungs were out of air and they stung. I looked behind me, my friend wasn't there. I ran back. I couldn't let anything bad happen to him, then I saw him in the human's hands, screaming and struggling to escape. I've never seen him since."

"At least HE still has a chance of coming back!" Vaati snapped.

"You know, I was thinking…your mother was the only one you lived with. Is this correct?"

"Yes. She was my only family member. My father was squished by the shoe of a human five years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, I was wondering, would you like to…come and live with me? I'm getting old, and I could really use an apprentice." Ezlo said. Vaati stared up at Ezlo, not knowing what to say. '_I don't want to live with you! I want to live with my mom!…But, I guess I can't do that.'_

"Um…okay…I suppose." This felt weird, suddenly meeting a guy who you've never met in your life, and just suddenly, going to live with him.

They slowly approached Vaati's house. Vaati stood still for a moment, staring up at it.

"Would you like to go get your things?" Ezlo asked.

"Alright." Vaati walked up to his front door and Ezlo followed. He slowly opened the door. Since the neighborhood had mostly nice people, there was no reason to lock the door. '_The last time I was here, mother was alive.' _Vaati thought. Nothing had changed, after all, it had only been this morning since he'd last been there. But it seemed like ages.

Vaati climbed the stairs up to his room. There, he had the only thing that he cared the most about. His old plush rabbit, Cuddlebuddy, that his mother and father gave to him as a gift when he was two and was sick. The name was a little too…childish…for him at this age, but he named it when he was little, and so he didn't want to rename him.

He hugged Cuddlebuddy and walked back down the stairs. Ezlo was in the living room, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall. One was of Vaati when he was a toddler and he was with his mother and father in a family portrait. Another was from when he was just a newborn.

"Would you want to take a picture of your family with you?" Ezlo asked.

"No." Vaati said as he walked out the door.

"You sure?"

"Yes, now let's go!" he said acting like he was in a hurry to leave, but he really didn't want to. Ezlo and Vaati walked out of the house, and started walking into the forest. '_Turn around, Vaati! You might never come back here! Turn around!' _He turned around, to get his last glimpse of the place he once called home.

**Chapter Five**

The forest finally came to an end and they approached a human village. The town was gigantic. The buildings were almost as tall as the trees in the forest, in fact, there were barely any trees which Vaati's stomach churn with the fact of know he wasn't in the forest anymore. People were walking around, and Vaati was tense, afraid he might get squished.

"Just stay close by me, I won't let the humans get you." Ezlo said.

'_I don't need you to protect me!' _Vaati thought, but still, he hadn't been around so many humans in his life. Clinging to Ezlo's side, he stared up at the giants that had a chance of killing him.

Dashing through the crowd, they made it to a large library. A tiny doorway, just the right size for a Minish, was near the door that the humans used.

Inside the library, there were, surprisingly, more Minish walking around than there were humans. "Good day, Ezlo!" One Minish greeted.

"Good day," Ezlo replied and was on his way, he started climbing a braided string hanging from a bookmark, "Come along, Vaati." Ezlo continued climbing, but Vaati kept slipping, every time he tried.

"I can't! I'm slipping!"

"Just grab onto my foot." Vaati wrapped his fingers around the Minish's ankle, digging his claws into his skin. A look of discomfort came across Ezlo's face but he said nothing.

The two finally got to the top of the bookshelf.

"Follow me." Ezlo said. Vaati obeyed as he was led to a door in the wall. He opened the door, and inside, it looked like a smaller version of the library.

There were shelves upon shelves of thick books. Bigger than anything Vaati had ever read. A small fireplace with tiny twigs, used as firewood was in the fireplace floo. Eyeballing the house, Vaati had a loss for words. This was the kind of house he could only dream of living in...and now...he did.

Ezlo walked down the hallway, leading him and Vaati to a tiny staircase that lead up into the ceiling.

"This way," Ezlo said climbing the stairs up into the attic, "This will be your room. Sorry, I don't have anything better, but I'll help you clean it up if I can find the time." With that, the old Minish left Vaati alone.

The attic was dusty and full of old knick-knacks that look like they dated way back to Ezlo's time. Vaati sneezed and coughed at first, but then realizing that pulling his collar over his nose and mouth helped tremendously.

Sitting down on a pile of moldy clothes that he assumed would probably be his bed, Vaati though, '_Is this what it boils down to? I have to live in this dump?' _

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

Saturday, April 26

I woke up this morning and Ezlo had made breakfast just for me. He promised he'd help clean up my attic, or room, or whatever you wanna call it. He didn't help a bit. He had to go to the store. I wound up having to clean most of it myself. It's a good thing that there were some tissues up in the rafters. I wonder if he'll ever have any time for me... 

**Chapter Six**

"Vaati! Breakfast!" Ezlo's voice was heard from downstairs. Vaati opened his eyes, clueless of where he was. Then remembering. The thought of knowing that his mom was dead and that he no longer lived in his quiet little forest made Vaati sick to his stomach. '_I don't think I feel like eating right now.'_

He came down into the kitchen and Ezlo had a chunk of an apple and a part of loaf of bread that had been torn off along with a bowl of six large grains of rice that sat on the table.

"Is...is that for me?" Vaati asked, afraid that if he ate it without Ezlo's permission, and it turned out it wasn't for him, that he might get punished.

"Mmhm." Ezlo said. Vaati hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday...before his mother drowned...and he never wanted to eat anything that wasn't made by her again. But he was starving. He started gobbling up the apple segment and the chunk of bread like a maniac. Ezlo sat across the table from him, watching. Vaati hated it when people watched him for no reason, it made him feel awkward, but letting Ezlo watch was the least Vaati could do, being how nice Ezlo was acting towards him. '_Say something to him!'_ Vaati thought.

"Uh...thank you for this, Ezlo."

"You're welcome, Vaati," Ezlo smiled, "Oh, by the way. I have to go get some things at the store, would you like to come with me? Or do you just want to stay here?" Vaati was surprised. His mother had never given him an option to stay home before. He figured as long as he had the chance, he might as well take advantage of it.

"I'll stay here." Vaati replied.

"Okay then," said Ezlo without making a fuss, "Just so you know, I'll be back by about ten o'clock, so, you should probably be fine until then...and now that you're my apprentice, I would appreciate it if you called me 'Master Ezlo', I hope you won't mind." Ezlo stood up and swung a small tote bag over his shoulder and left. '_Yeah, yeah, MOTHER Ezlo.'_

With the sound of the front door closing, Vaati realized '_I have the whole house to myself!_ _But, what should I do first?'_ Never being left home alone in his life, it was hard for the young boy to find something fun to do.

"I don't suppose he has any fun games around here." Vaati said to no one in particular. Looking at the shelves of fat books in the parlor, he figured that with a guy as old as Ezlo, he probably doesn't have anything he'd think to be fun.

"I'll get to cleaning my room!" he continued, crawling up the stairs to the attic. It was dusty, and after moving a few things around, he found a big, soft cushion. Just the right size for a tiny Minish such as himself to sleep on. After dusting the whole place, he set the cushion right below a small, round window.

The whole town, well, most of it, was visible. Humans going this way and that, so busy. '_Do they ever have time for their kids?'_ Vaati started to think to himself, lying down on the cushion, holding Cuddlebuddy. A young human girl with short blonde ponytails was holding her mother's hand. Thoughts were really starting to swirl around in Vaati's head.

"That family portrait," Vaati began, "I forgot what they've looked like already!" Vaati regretted to refusing to take a picture of his family along. '_I should go back and get it!' _Vaati thought. '_No, I should ask Master Ezlo first...but I want the portrait NOW!' _

He set Cuddlebuddy down on the cushion, "Now, stay here. I don't want you to get lost." Vaati said, trying to act like his mom. Without much further thought, Vaati left the house, and the human town, heading for the forest...

**Chapter Seven**

Being born and raised in the forest, Vaati knew his former home like the back of his own hand. Sooner than Vaati expected, he was at his old house. Still unlocked, he opened the door and went in, taking the picture of his mother, father, and himself as a toddler off the wall.

Removing the photo from the frame, he rolled it up and stuck it into the pocket of his robe. Taking his last _LAST_ glance of the mushroom house, he said, "Goodbye." And with that, he left.

He walked back into the woods, with the happy feeling that he got something off his chest. He kept his paw inside his pocket, holding onto the photo. No sooner, Vaati heard a loud SSSSS!! Stopped in his tracks, Vaati was afraid to turn around, and find out what made the sound. But curiosity took over and he whirled around.

A large snake that was fifty times bigger than he was, stared down at him with a satisfying look on it's face. Since Minish could talk to animals, Vaati figured that, maybe, he could talk some sense into the snake.

"H-hello." Vaati trembled.

"Hello." the snake grinned evilly.

"I-I was j-just going back to town. S-so, I g-guess I'll be seeing you..." Vaati attempted to run away, but the snake caught up.

"Oh, but I already sssssee, you, my tassssstey little Minish."

_Cripes! This snake wants to eat me!_ Vaati thought, panicking, but trying to stay calm.

"I don't think I'd taste very good. My mom always said I'm spoiled."

"Ssssspoiled or not sssssspoiled. I haven't sssssssseen ssssssssssuch a delectable young boy ssssssuch as yoursssssself, in quite awhile."

"Um, uh...I'm-I don't really feel like being anyone's lunch...so if you'll excuse me..." Vaati dashed off, not only to be grabbed by the snake's tail. It started to squeeze, and it got harder and harder for Vaati to breathe. '_Is this it? Is this the end for Vaati Picoru? Am I going to die?...Oh well, at least if I do, I'll get to be with mother and father again…' _Vaati had lost all hope as he gasped for air, but it was impossible.

His face turned purple, purpler than it naturally was...he started to close his eyes, until a voice was heard, "VAATI!!"

**Chapter Eight**

Vaati looked over to see who was calling him. It was Ezlo. He was glaring up at the snake.

"Put the boy down, Sires!" Ezlo shouted at the snake, putting his hands on his hips. The snake hissed and loosened his grip on Vaati, uncoiling his tail from him and setting him down. The snake hissed once again, giving Ezlo a dirty look and slithered away.

Vaati's face turned back to normal. He breathed heavily, relieved that Ezlo just so happened to be right there.

"Master Ezlo? What were you doing here?" Vaati said taking large breathes between words.

"I knew you'd get into trouble as soon as I met you. I only left you home to test you." Ezlo said. Vaati felt angry.

'_You don't trust me?!' _Vaati thought.

Ezlo continued, "But why in the world did you go anywhere without asking me?!" his voice sounded stern.

"Uh…" Vaati put his hand in the pocket that he had the picture. He started fiddling with one of the corners. He didn't want to tell Ezlo why he left, he was too afraid.

"I don't need to tell you!" Vaati snapped. Ezlo sighed, "Come with me." The two started walking back to the town.

"Vaati, what has gotten into you? You seemed like such a quiet young boy, and now you're just running off! If you do that, you could end up dead! If I hadn't been there, you could have been that snake's lunch!"

Tears filled Vaati's eyes. Though he liked to act like the tough guy, he couldn't stand being yelled at. '_You shouldn't be yelling at me! You should go soft on me! My mother died, remember!?'_

Back at Ezlo's house, Vaati ran up to his room. Plunging onto his bed, he let Cuddlebuddy fall off, he didn't even bother to pick him back up. He just squeezed the family photo in his arms. '_Why did you have to go!? You've made my life so miserable!'_

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

Sunday, April 27

Ezlo stayed today here today. I'm kinda glad. At least he didn't yell at me or scold me. He was mostly just thankful that I was safe.

Ezlo said that it was alright with him if I go outside by myself, just as long as I avoid trouble, such as getting stepped on or messing with another snake (or pretty much any other big animals that are a million times my size.) Oh yeah, and I'm not allowed to leave town, even if someone dared me.

I figured getting out and making some new friends would be a good idea. I never had much of any friends back in the forest. It was because there weren't many kids around, and any kids that _were_ around, didn't seem to like me. Hopefully I'll have some luck here…

**Chapter Nine**

Walking along the wall inside the café, Vaati saw a group of three Minish boys. They all looked about sixteen or seventeen, much older than him; and they looked tough. He figured the best thing to do would be to get off on the right start with them.

"Hello!" Vaati said cheerfully. One of the boys glared, "What do ya think you're doin'?"

"Oh, uh…I was--" Vaati was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

"You're in our turf," the second boy interrupted

'_The second best thing'_, Vaati thought,_ 'Is to run!'_, so he did.

"Get him!" the tallest one shouted. Zooming through the café, dodging the human's feet, Vaati ran so fast that his lungs were sore. Turning a sharp corner, he figured he could hide, but he bumped into another Minish and fell to the ground.

'_What kind of idiot just stands right in someone's way when they're running away from some insane bullies?!'_ Vaati thought, ready to start an argument with whoever was blocking him.

"Hey, why don't you watch where you're going!?" Vaati shouted, expecting that person to shout back at him. But just as he was about to start shouting more, he heard the sweetest voice he had ever heard.

"I'm terribly sorry, it was all my fault I was in the way. Are you alright?" Vaati looked up at who was making that beautiful voice, and there stood a young, female Minish. She looked about Vaati's age, which was about ten or eleven. She was wearing a rosy pink bonnet with a fuzzy white puffball over her silky golden-brunette hair.

The girl began again, holding out her hand, "Here, let me help you up."

"I-It was my fault, I was running from this group of boys--"

"Cobra, Thunder, and Arsenic."

"You know their names?"

"Nicknames, and yes, I do know them, sadly. Their real names are Nicholas, George, and Parker…they were trying to hurt you, weren't they?" Vaati didn't want to admit that he was running because he was scared that they'd hurt him, but it was true.

"…Yeah." he said.

"My name is Mollie, by the way." Mollie said.

"I'm Vaati…you town Minish sure have strange names." Mollie laughed. '_What's so funny? You DO have strange names!'_ Vaati thought.

"Well, where are _you _from?"

"The forest." Vaati said proudly.

"Okay, well, excuse me if I sound rude, but, you Forest Minish have strange names too." To the sound of Mollie's soft voice, Vaati felt his heart melt like a chocolate bar sitting out in the sun. '_I think I'm in love!'_

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

Monday, April 28

I have found heaven and I met an angel there!

**Chapter Ten**

Vaati walked back into Ezlo's house with a huge grin on his face. Glad that Vaati wasn't upset anymore, Ezlo wanted to know what was making him this way.

"Did you make any new friends?" Ezlo asked. Vaati lied down on the rug, at Ezlo's feet.

"Yeah. I met this one girl, her name was Mollie," Vaati stretched his arms and legs across the rug, "Hey Master Ezlo?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like me to get anything at the store for you?" Vaati asked, willing to have an excuse to get out and possibly see Mollie again.

"No, thank you, Vaati. I've already got everything I need."

'_Darn it!' _Vaati thought. Hopping up the stairs to his room, he wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't just lifted off the ground and flown away.

Later at dinner, Vaati still hadn't wiped that smile off his face. He had been like that so long, the muscles in his face were tired, wanting to make a straight face. But every time he thought about Mollie, his grin would just spring back up.

"You've been unusually happy today. Is there anything you want to tell me?" Ezlo implied.

"You know that girl I told you about?" Vaati replied.

"Oh yes, the young lass you met today?"

"I think I love her." Vaati said.

"Ah, young love. I remember when I was at that stage. It can be full of happiness and romance, and sometimes it can hurt you like a million knives stabbing your heart."

"Nah, it won't be anything bad like that. She's nice, and I like her."

"It's nice that you're in high spirits, Vaati." said Ezlo. There was silence and the sound of the wooden eating utensils hitting the ceramic plates was all over.

"Master Ezlo…is it alright if I can go out tomorrow?"

"Of course! Just remember your curfew. Be ba--"

"Be back for lunch and dinner. I know. I know." Vaati said rolling his eyes.

"And?"

"And don't stay out after dark."

"Good boy. Are you going to see that Mollie girl?" Ezlo implied as Vaati pushed away from the table and started walking up to his room.

"Maybe." Vaati replied, making that big grin again.

**Chapter Eleven**

Monday, April 28

Vaati woke himself up and ate breakfast as fast as he could, in a hurry to get to the café. In hope that he'd find Mollie there, Vaati scanned the whole place up and down, east to west. No sight of her.

'_Well, I did come a little early. I'll just wait a little longer, she'll show up!' _Vaati leaned up against the wall in the corner and slid down until he was sitting.

Half an hour went by. Still no sight of Mollie. One hour later, no Mollie. An hour and a half, no. Vaati was getting bored and impatient. '_Where is she?!…well, I didn't promise to meet her here or anything. I think I should just leave.'_ he thought disappointed.

Standing up, his rump felt sore from sitting for so long. Brushing himself off and beginning to take off, something caught his eye. It was Mollie. Mollie and the gang of boys. '_What is she doing with them?' _Vaati thought. Not the least bit scared, he ran up to the four of them. '_Those tyrants can't hurt me, Mollie will back me up!'_ He saw Nicholas, or as he called himself, 'Cobra' turn around, glancing at Vaati Then Arsenic, Thunder and Mollie turned around, looking a Vaati along with Cobra. All at the same time, they turned back around.

As he approached them, he noticed Cobra was squeezing Mollie's arm.

"Not so tough now, are ya, pretty girl?" Cobra smirked.

"Let go!" Mollie snapped.

"Shuttup!" Arsenic said, slapping her. Something clicked inside Vaati's head, then he felt his face get hot.

'_NO ONE treats her that way!!'_

"Let her go!" Vaati yelled. Arsenic, Cobra, and Thunder looked at him.

"Alright," Cobra said letting go of her arm, "We'll just take you!" Grabbing Vaati's forearm, Mollie stepped back.

"Stop it!" she shouted. "Leave him alone, he didn't mean anything!" she stared at Cobra with that I-mean-it look that his parents would give Vaati when he'd refuse to clean his room when they were alive. Cobra let go of his grasp and shoved Vaati towards Mollie.

"Fine," he said, "I did it for your girlfriend, Vaa-tee! C'mon, guys, let's go bite that human kid's toes!"

"Ooh boy! That's what he gets for walking around barefooted!" Arsenic squealed excitedly as the three boys walked off.

"Sorry about them Vaati. They're my…old friends. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Vaati said.

"Hey, I was thinking, would you like to come to my house for dinner on Friday."

"How about tonight?" Vaati asked.

"No, sorry. I'm too busy tonight. Too much homework."

"You go to a real school?"

"Yeah, you don't?"

"I'm home schooled right now, but I'll be getting into public school in about a month. Hey, maybe we'll be in the same class as each other! You're in fifth grade, too, right?"

"Right, but I don't think we'll be in the same class, Daisy Academy's a pretty big school."

"Oh."

"But about the dinner thing, you can bring your mom and dad if you like…"

"My mom drowned and my dad was stepped on. They're both dead." A lump formed in his throat.

"I'm sorry." Mollie's voice was soothing.

'_Just stay cool! Just stay cool!' _Vaati thought.

"But I live with my master, so I'll have to ask him first."

"Can I come with?" Mollie asked.

"Sure!" Vaati squeaked, killing his cool-act in an instant. '_That's it, Vaati! Now you've done it!'_

**Chapter Twelve**

"Master Ezlo! I'm back!" Vaati exclaimed coming through the front door.

"Alright." Ezlo replied.

"C'mon, Mollie." Vaati led her to the living room where Ezlo was, "Master Ezlo, Mollie is here. She was wondering if I can go over to her house for dinner on Friday."

"And you can come with." Mollie added.

"Sure, I'd love to. Oh, I'm sorry for not properly introducing myself. My name is Ezlo. You may address me as Master Ezlo." Vaati moved his lips to the 'Master Ezlo' part, knowing exactly what Ezlo would say before he actually did.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Ezlo. My name is Mollie, Mollie Harris." '_Wow, even they're last names are zany!' _Vaati thought.

"Yes, Vaati has told me many good things about you."

"Master Ezlo!!" Vaati snapped, giving him a warning. '_You better not tell her about my crush on her!'_

"What? It's true." Ezlo said, in the joking mood. Though Vaati liked sarcasm and jokes, when Ezlo did it, it just wasn't funny. '_It's like he tries to be funny, but everyone knows he's not!'_ Vaati thought.

Mollie smiled, "So how does seven o'clock sound?"

"Great!" Vaati said, any time was good for him, as long as he could get to see her._ 'I'm the luckiest boy in the world!'_

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**It's been a while since I had last written in my journal, I've been so busy with making my hat and taking care of Vaati. He's my new apprentice, and he seems to have a good attitude about working for me. He tends to get in trouble once in a while, but boys will be boys, I suppose. He's a sweet kid, even with his little stubborn personality. After his mother passed away and I had taken him to live in town with me, he was so glum. But a few days ago (probably like a week, actually), he met this young lass named Mollie. Vaati has a crush on her, he even told me. Sometimes when I go to the store, and Vaati is out playing, I see them sitting together. Side by side. Adorable! They look so cute together. I always thought a scene like that was only possible in the pictures of fairy tale books. I stand corrected. I know that love can have it's bad sides, but I sure hope things work out well with them.**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Friday, May 2

It was already Friday. The week had gone by in a flash. Vaati brushed his hair so much, it was as neat as he could possibly make it. He had to get rid of ANYTHING that might turn a girl like Mollie off. '_Girls don't like dirty boys…do they? Would she like me with or without my hat? Should I scowl or just smile?'_ Questions flooded his head._ 'I must make a good impression (good first impression in front of her family) I don't want them to hate me and forbid her from seeing me.'_

"Vaati! Are you ready?" Ezlo called from downstairs. Vaati stood looking in the mirror, taking off and then putting his hat back on. '_Which looks better?'_ he thought.

"Vaati?" Ezlo said again.

"Just a sec.!" Vaati. '_Dad always used to say it's rude to wear a hat inside. I'll keep it off.'_

"Vaati, what are doing?"

"I'm coming! Hold your horses!" Vaati set his hat down and Ezlo and Vaati left.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Vaati's sweaty paws were wrinkling the bottom of his robe as he stood behind his master. They had arrived at Mollie's house, a tiny little home inside the walls of another human's house. They were standing outside, and Ezlo rapped on the door. Vaati stared at the bronze doorknob as he nervously waited for someone to answer. '_If I make a fool of myself, I'll never forgive myself.' _Vaati thought.

Shortly after, an adult male Minish answered the door. He peered at Vaati and Ezlo through his round, black-framed glasses. The stare coming from those black eyes stung Vaati. '_I wish this guy would say something! I'm too nervous!'_

"Hello, we've been expecting you." the man said, "Come on in! Ezlo, long time, no see. It's been a while, hasn't it?" By the sound of his tone, Vaati assumed that he and Ezlo knew each other.

"It's nice to see you again, Harvey." Ezlo replied. '_Here we go again!' _Vaati thought. '_Some more whacko names!'_

Ezlo continued, "This is Vaati, my apprentice."

"Ah yes, Mollie's told me great things about you. My name is Mr. Harris. I'm her father. But you can call me just Harvey, if you'd like." Vaati was used to having to call adults Mr. or Mrs. or Miss, this seemed a little weird to him, but he liked not having to call them that.

Harvey turned around and called up the stairs, "Mollie, you're little friend is here!" As quick as a flash, Mollie skipped down the stairs. Her wavy hair was shiny, as if it had just been washed and brushed out.

"Hi!" she said. A young woman with short blonde hair came out of the kitchen.

"Dinner's almost ready, dears." the woman said.

"Aeron, this is Vaati. He's Mollie's new friend." Harvey said. '_Never heard that name before.'_

"Hello, dear. I'm her mum. You can call me Ma if you want. But if not, Aeron is just fine with me." Vaati didn't feel comfortable calling his crush's mother "Ma." Not only because she wasn't his mom, but that his real mom was now deceased. But he knew, that she was, is, and always will be his real mother.

A lump formed in his throat at the thought of the whole tragedy. But he managed to block that memory out with the humorous thought of Cobra falling face first into the mud. It was so funny to him, in fact, that Vaati just burst out laughing at the idea.

Ezlo, Mollie, Harvey, and Aeron all looked at Vaati, curious at what he was laughing about. Just then, he felt his heart skip a beat and his face turn cherry colored.

'_Now you've done it!'_ Vaati thought, wanting to kick himself. '_I better say something before they start to get this idea that I'm some loony kid stuck in his own world.'_

"Uh…" Vaati began, "I…the tag on my robe was tickling me. Dumb thing, I thought I cut it off." '_That's a little better.'_ he thought to himself.

"Well, come on, Vaati. Let's go to my room!" Mollie said cheerfully as if nothing happened. And he wished it really hadn't.

Mollie led Vaati up to her room. There was a small bed with lemonade pink covers and a pastel purple quilt. Pictures of flowers hung on the wall and soft, cute stuffed animals sat on a shelf on one side of the room. The walls were painted with sunset colors, like pink, purple, blue, and orange. A typical girl's room.

"You should see this room at sunset, it's really beautiful." Mollie said, sitting down on the orange rug. Vaati sat beside her, wanted to get close.

Vaati looked around the room. A red music box with pink hearts sat on her dresser. It had a small boy dancing with a small girl. It was easy to tell that it was made by Minish, being that the boy and girl were both Minish and the music box was just the right size. "You've got a music box."

"Oh, that? Yeah. I got that when I was eight. I bought it with my own money. I thought that if I got it, I'd finally fall in love with a boy, and that would be our song." She got up and wound the music box, then set it down between her and Vaati as she hummed the tune. "I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream…I forgot the rest of the words."

"Mollie, Vaati! Time for dinner!" Aeron called from downstairs.

"Okay!" Mollie said, putting the music box back up on the shelf.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Coming back to Ezlo's dark house, the two Minish entered as Ezlo lit the candle in the corner of the room. Light filled the room in an instant and it seemed more cheerful. Vaati felt good that since he had met Mollie's family, that he would, maybe, get to see her again. But there was still one thing bothering him: that random laugh he let out in the beginning.

Even though the others (mostly Mollie) didn't seem to care, Vaati still couldn't get over it.

"Did you have a nice time?" Ezlo asked.

"Yeah, it was good. What about you?" Vaati said, throwing the question right back at Ezlo.

"I really enjoyed it! I haven't seen Harvey for quite some time. It was a pleasure to get to talk with him again."

"Well, I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go to bed now." Vaati said making his way up to his room.

"Alright." Ezlo said. Vaati started to close his eyes, wondering what the next day would hold for him.

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Monday, May 26 and Tuesday, and Wednesday**

**I started school today. I'm now a student of Daisy Academy. Mollie was right. I wasn't in her class, but I sat with her at lunch and hung out with her at recess. We also walked home together sometimes. **

**Sometimes we'd see Cobra and the gang hanging outside the high school (Hyrule Town Minish High School, or MHS) with a look of angry and a little bit of envy in their faces. (To tell you the truth, I think they like Mollie, too, even though she's four years younger than them. Kinda gross, actually.) **

**My teacher's name is Miss Rikki, she's really nice. She doesn't give homework on Fridays, which is good. She says that we should get out and play over the weekend, get some fresh air and exercise, and that she couldn't possibly keep us inside with homework to do. On the first day, she understood that I was nervous about being the new kid, so she made sure that everyone was nice to me. I like her as a teacher. It's too bad there's only a few more weeks of school left, I feel a certain attachment to her. She's like a big sister to me, I never had any siblings I was the only one my parents had. I didn't even have one single cousin because my parents didn't have any siblings either and I come from a small family. (I barely knew my grandparents) She recognized my name as a forest name and guess what?! She's from the forest too! I don't feel so out of place anymore.**

**I've gotten to know Mollie's parents a little more. They're nice people, but I always get that weird feeling that I'm making a fool of myself every time I say something when I drop Mollie off. Like this one time I let out a giggle and I think they know now that I like their daughter. (I know, I can be an idiot sometimes.) **

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**I got Vaati into school. I figured I couldn't home school the kid forever. He needs to get out and make more friends. His teacher seems to be a lively young lady. Her name is Miss Pooka Rikki, in her early twenties. She'd make a wonderful teacher for Vaati: young, peppy, and full of spunk. While Vaati was out hanging around Mollie, I went up to the school and talked with her. A little parent-teacher conference kind of thing. (More like master-teacher conference) I know Vaati doesn't like it when I say that he's like a son to me, I feel he is. I never had any children when I was the younger me, and that's why it's an honor to have Vaati around, so I could finally have the experience to have one. I'm old now, and my life will soon come to an end, but I treasure the presents of him, and getting a chance to feel like a parent. It's a shame that he came so late in my life. But I'm going to make sure that nothing that will separate me from him will happen.**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Monday, May 26

Vaati walked nervously down the hall of Daisy Academy. When he entered his new classroom, it was empty. There were about thirty-five desks with no one in them. The walls had large laminated posters that said things like "Reading is for Losers!…NOT!!" and "10 out of 9 People Have Trouble with Math" It seemed to be a newer school. The smell of fresh new books filled the air (unlike the moldy old books at his old school), the walls had been freshly painted white (Vaati's old school, Clover Elementary School, had walls with the tacky blue-green paint chipping off), the windows were clear enough, Vaati could swear there was no glass there at all (Clover had old glass with funky colored stains on it), the ceiling was clean and new as well (Clover had holes and every time it rained, Vaati would find himself using his notebook as an umbrella)

Yes, the room was empty alright, that is, until Vaati noticed a young woman who looked about 23 was sitting at a big desk in the back corner of the room. She had curly red hair that was up in a loose bun and she was writing something down. Vaati guessed she was grading papers. She looked up at him and smiled, her blue eyes meeting his.

"Hey, you're the new kid, right? Vaati?"

Vaati was stunned, no one had ever known his name without him telling them, "Um…yeah. How did you know?"

The lady laughed politely. "I know a nervous new face when I see it."

"Oh."

"My name's Pooka Rikki, Miss Rikki, I'll be your teacher. You call me that in school, but outside you can call me Pooka," she peered down at her paper then looked back up at Vaati, "Your last name is Picoru, right? Let me guess: a forest Minish."

"How did you know?" Vaati was surprised.

"I'm from the forest, too. As you probably noticed, my name is…a little different from the ones around here."

"I know. All the names around here are so…weird!" Vaati was glad that he had a young, rambunctious teacher. Unlike his teacher at Clover, Mr. Poco, who was a big, old grouch that gave out a ton of homework and seemed to have no heart whatsoever. Vaati always wondered why he taught if he hated kids so much. (Mr. Poco never said he hated them, but that's the impression most students got)

Vaati was about to ask her if she felt as out of place in town as he did, but he didn't bother.

When class started, Miss Rikki seated Vaati right near her desk, so if he had a question or a problem, he didn't have to go far. Not all of the seats were filled up. About half were boys, and half were girls. When they saw a new face sitting in the back of the room near the teacher's desk, the boys gave the We-Beat-Up-New-Kids-As-A-Tradition look at Vaati and the girls gave the What's-Up-With-That-Freak-With-The-Purple-Hair-Sitting-Behind-Me look. Therefore, Vaati felt complete discomfort.

"Vaati, do you want to tell us a little about yourself?" Miss Rikki asked.

As much as Vaati wanted to say no, he did it anyway, so he wouldn't seem rude about passing Miss Rikki's suggestion.

"umm…okay…" Vaati whispered quietly and slithered out of his seat and to the front of the room. He cleared his throat and began, "Uh…hi…my name's…Vaati Picoru…and I'm from the forest…"

"What kind of a name is Vaati?!" One boy uttered rudely.

"Johnny, really, that's not cool," Miss Rikki said, "Don't mind him, Vaati, go on…"

"I…I live with my master Ezlo and…" Vaati froze right then and there. He was afraid of anyone else making a rude comment about what he was saying. He bit his lip and a tear came down his face. He looked down to hide it. Miss Rikki saw that he was overwhelmed.

"Vaati, you don't have to do this if you don't want to." Miss Rikki cooed softly. Vaati nodded and went back to his seat and laid his head down on the desk. Miss Rikki assigned the class an individual assignment as she took Vaati out of the classroom and into the hall.

"Vaati, don't listen to what they say. They can be jerks sometimes, I know. But it's not important what others think of you, it's what you think of yourself. And I can tell, you're a very sweet boy. Take it from me." She winked at him. "Are you ready to go back in the class, or would you like me to call your master and have him take you home?"

"I'm fine. I'll go back in."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Really, really, really?" Miss Rikki grinned.

Vaati smiled, "Yep."

"Okay then." Miss Rikki gave Vaati the sheet of paper everyone else was working on. It said to write about your most happy, sad, or exciting memory. Vaati knew exactly what he was going to write, even if he cried while writing it.

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Thursday, May 29 and Friday at school too**

**We had to read our essays to the class on Thursday. I read mine. It was about last month, how my mother had died and I was all alone with no parents. I started crying really hard when I got to the sad part. Miss Rikki took me out into the hall again to try to calm me down. That was nice of her, but it didn't work. So she decided that I need to go home and rest. She called Master Ezlo and he came to pick me up. Today when I got to school, I got a new nickname "Crybaby."**

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**It was about 11:35 today when I received a call from Miss Rikki from the fiber-optic telephone. **

"**Hello?" I said.**

"**Yes, this is Miss Rikki, Vaati's teacher." Miss Rikki replied.**

"**Oh yes. Anything I can do for you?"**

**Miss Rikki sighed. "I'm going to ask if you can take Vaati home…"**

**I stood up, worried. "What?…Is--Is anything wrong?"**

"**Nothing serious. The class had to give their oral presentations of their essays. When Vaati got up there, he read about…someone drowning, I think it was. He broke down and started crying." her voice sounded concerned. "Would you know anything about this, if you don't mind me asking?"**

"**Yes, when he was five years old, his father was killed by a human, and just recently, his mother drowned in flood. Poor kid couldn't stop crying about it. On top of that, he seems to miss his old home in the forest. That's probably what the commotion was all about."**

"**Oh." Miss Rikki sounded like she was looking down, but I couldn't tell.**

"**Anyway, I'll be right over to pick him up."**

"**Okay. Thank you, bye."**

"**Bye."**

**I hung up, and I walked to the school. Miss Rikki was waiting outside the classroom with Vaati. I assumed she gave the rest of her students an assignment to do while she waited with Vaati. **

"**Hello." Miss Rikki said, smiling. She knelt down in front of Vaati and petted his head. "Hope your feeling better."**

**As I walked back home with Vaati trailing behind me, I thought. '**_**Will this affect Vaati for the rest of his life? Will it scar him?'**_

**Chapter Seventeen**

Friday, May 30

"Vaati, café, after school!" Mollie called out in the hallway after class.

"Okay." Vaati replied as he headed back to the classroom to put his books in his cubby. Since it was Friday, and Miss Rikki didn't give out homework on weekends, Vaati had no use for them.

Vaati expected to have to wait for Mollie outside the school, but this time she was waiting for him. She was running her fingers through her wavy hair until she saw Vaati and smiled.

"Hey," she said, "you ready?" Right then, the music box song played inside Vaati's head.

"Yep!" Vaati just noticed she was carrying books. "You have homework to do?"

"Some, and you?"

"Nope, Miss Rikki doesn't give homework on the weekends."

"Lucky, Mrs. Murphy has me loaded!"

"Would you like me to carry your books for you?"

"Thanks." Mollie smiled once again and handed over the books like a dog's leash. She continued, "Okay, let's go!" And they were off.

The two arrived at the café and sat in the corner. (It was the safest place to go since no humans ever bothered to sick their feet there) Mollie pulled something wrapped in cloth out of her book bag. It was some lunchmeat in between torn off slices of rye bread, some cheese, and two hamster pellets.

"You like hamster pellets too?" Vaati said, surprised.

"Yeah, do you?"

"Of course!"

"I can't believe some people say this stuff is gross, this stuff is so good!"

"I know what you mean!" Vaati took a pellet and started to gnaw on it as well as Mollie.

"It's hard to chew, but it's worth the taste." Mollie said.

"Mmhm."

"So…if you don't mind me asking, did you see your mother and father die?" Mollie asked. Vaati just stared off, and started to whimper. Mollie continued, "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that."

"No," said Vaati, "the only way to get over this is to talk about it…"

"Oh."

"So, I guess I'll tell you, I didn't see either of them die. When my father died, it was a nice day, I was five years old and was playing with Cuddlebuddy, he's my, uh, stuffed rabbit, in the front yard of my house while my mother clipped the moss. A guy came up to her, he looked very serious…"

"_Mrs. Picoru…" the man said. My mom stood up._

"_Yes?" she said. I stopped running around and I just held Cuddlebuddy in my arms. The man said some things that I didn't understand. I don't remember what he said exactly. But I remember mother froze, dropped her moss-clippers, and began to cry. Asked her what she was crying about, she told me that dad had been stepped on, and was dead. I asked her what dead meant. I had never heard the word before. She explained to me._

"_Vaati, do you remember when you were little, and there was that flea in the window, and how scared you were of it?"_

"_Yes. And you smashed it, right, mommy?"_

"_Well, when mommy smashed it, it stopped moving, remember? Well, that's what happened to daddy."_

_I cried, squeezing Cuddlebuddy to my chest._

"That's so sad." Mollie said. Vaati nodded. "What about your mother."

"I didn't see it either. I just saw her dead. Now that I knew what dead meant, I fell apart right away."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Mollie leaned over and hugged Vaati. He smiled and hugged back. Neither of them knew that Cobra, Thunder, and Arsenic were watching…

**Chapter Eighteen**

Thursday, June 5

It was the last day of school. Miss Rikki's class were all signing each other's year books. Vaati didn't get very many signatures. A few from people who just did it to be nice. Miss Rikki signed it, and Vaati was pretty happy. It said:

"_Good luck, Vaati! I hope you make a lot a new friends and succeed well in 6__th__ grade and the rest of middle school and high school. I will miss you very much, you were a pleasure to have in class. Stay cool, kid! _

_-Miss Rikki"_

Vaati met up with Mollie once again before they walked to the café. Vaati carried Mollie's things that she had to take home until next year along with Vaati's things. He was holding them in bags. Ezlo told him that it made him a "gentlemen." Even though Mollie refused to make Vaati carry all that weight, Vaati insisted. They were getting close to the café. Vaati felt the supplies starting to slips out of his hands. They slipped.

Mollie stopped and turned around, "You need any help with that?"

"No, I'm fine. You go on ahead. I'll catch up."

"Alright…you sure you don't need any help?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then. I'll be waiting at the café." Mollie turned around and sprinted off. Vaati kneeled down to pick up the bags, just then, he felt something grab his collar and pull him back to the side of the building, where it was dark.

He felt a cold hand grasp his throat and try to choke him.

"Ah, let go of me!!" shouted Vaati.

"Shuttup, you!" It was Cobra's voice. Cobra stepped into the light along with Arsenic and Thunder. Vaati gasped.

Thunder pushed Vaati against the wall and pulled his arms behind his back.

"Ow!"

"Shut up, Vaati!" Cobra hissed.

"What do you want with me?"

"You like Mollie, don't you?"

Vaati whimpered.

"Answer me!"

"I-I like her, but as a friend!"

"Liar! I saw you two hug! You're her boyfriend, aren't you?"

"No! I'm not! I'm not!"

"Well, if you ever EVER kiss her, talk to her, or tell anybody about this, I swear to the goddesses I will kill you with my bare hands! With my bare hands, goddamn you!"

"Okay! Okay! I won't talk to her anymore! I promise! I won't even tell anybody about this!"

"You better not! Otherwise, it'll be your head!"

"Okay." Vaati panted as they let him go. Instead of meeting Mollie at the café, he just went straight home.

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Saturday, June 7**

**I stayed at home with Ezlo and helped him do some chores around the house to pass time and to keep my mind off Mollie. I already felt bad about leaving her a the café. The bags were probably still sitting there, either that, or someone (maybe Mollie) picked it up. I bet she's angry at me right now. Oh! I don't want her to hate me! But I have to avoid her for…the rest of my life! But I don't want to. But I know what I promised. I don't want to die!**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Ezlo wiped down the counter in the kitchen while Vaati dusted the bookshelf in the parlor while he hummed a tune that he had heard on a human's radio. Vaati had already straightened up his room. Ezlo helped load most of the boxes in the hallway closet.

"Vaati," Ezlo said as he continued to wipe the counter.

"Yes, Master?" asked Vaati.

"You've done such a great job on cleaning, would you like to go to Mollie's?" Vaati gulped, and stopped dusting, "Nope."

"Why not?" Ezlo turned around and looked at Vaati.

"I just…don't…feel…like…it." He did not feel like answering.

"Okay." Just then, there was a knock at the door. Vaati ran across the room and jumped over the couch, hiding as Ezlo went to answer it.

"If it's Mollie, tell her I'm not here!" Vaati said.

"Why?" asked Ezlo.

"Just do it, okay?! And if she asks where I am, say you don't know!"

"…Okay?" Ezlo turned the door knob and the door swung open. It was Mollie. "Good day, Mollie! What can I do for you?" Ezlo asked cheerfully.

"Hello, um, have you seen Vaati lately? Yesterday he was supposed to meet me at the café and he never came, I only found the bags of school supplies that he must have dropped or left behind. So, is Vaati here right now?"

"Sorry, he is not. He just left."

"Where?" she asked anxiously.

"To tell you the truth, I have no idea where he went or when he'll be back. He runs off a lot like that."

"I sure hope he's okay." Mollie looked off, worried.

"If I know Vaati, he'll be back by dinner, don't worry. He'll be okay."

Mollie smiled and a look of relief came across her face. "Thank you, Ezlo. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Ezlo shut the door and turned to Vaati, "I can't believe you made me just do that!"

"What?" Vaati asked.

"Lie to Mollie! She's your best friend, Vaati, and a very nice one at that. I could only dream of having a friend like that, and you're turning her down? What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing!" Vaati said.

"Don't give me that! I know, Vaati, that you're hiding something, and you just don't want to tell."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Vaati shouted, running up to his room.

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**I don't know if it's just me, but Vaati's been acting very tense. He's been sitting inside the house all week, never even going outside. Just today, Mollie came to the door asking if I had seen him, in a worried face. And you know what? Vaati makes me lie to her! I don't know what's gotten into him. Maybe he's angry at Mollie, no? I hope nothing is bothering him. **

**Chapter Twenty**

Saturday, June 13

Vaati had his head in a book for the past week. He didn't bother to go outside and risk being seen by Mollie. Mollie had rung the doorbell a couple of times that week to check if Vaati was home, but every time, Ezlo had to lie for Vaati. Ezlo kept getting more frustrated with his apprentice as he was making him lie to Mollie so many times "Nayru herself could never forgive him."

"Vaati, You've been reading for the past week, go outside and play, and that's a demand!" Ezlo said.

"Oh, Master Ezlo, I don't want to!"

"Why not? You seem pretty timid for someone who isn't hiding anything. I want to you to tell me what's going! Maybe I can help."

"You can't help, you're not strong enough to be a bodyguard." And with that, Vaati took the book and ran outside.

"…Bodyguard?" Ezlo asked himself.

**Chapter Twenty One**

Vaati hid near the side of Minish Middle School. (MMS). It was mainly the building the humans used as the Happy Hearth Inn, but the Minish called those buildings the name that they used it for. Vaati kept his head in the book to hide his face from Cobra, Thunder, Arsenic, and Mollie. Especially Mollie. It had taken him up until now to realize what he was reading. It was a book of how to learn the human language, and he already knew quite a few phrases by now.

"Vaati? Is that you?" Came the voice of a female who was obviously Mollie. Vaati kept the book closer to his face and started to run off. Mollie caught up to him and grabbed his collar so he wouldn't get away. She took the book away from his face to see if it really was him. A look of relief came across her face as she started to hug him tightly.

"Vaati! Oh, Vaati! Thank goodness it's you! I haven't seen you since the day school got out. When I saw that you had just dropped everything you were carrying and left them behind and didn't meet me at the café, I was so worried! I thought something bad had happened to you."

Vaati tried to wiggle away as he shut his eyes tight so he couldn't see her. "Get away from me!" He broke free of her arms.

Mollie froze and stared at him. "Vaati…what's wrong? Why are you closing your eyes like that?"

"I'm not supposed to see you, alright!"

Mollie giggled, "Not supposed to see me? What do you think I'm a ghost, or something like that?"

"I'm not supposed to say this but, if I see you, Cobra and the gang will kill me."

Mollie made a straight face. "Oh, so they're getting to you, huh? Open your eyes, Vaati." Vaati opened them. Mollie had never looked prettier. Probably because he hadn't seen her for so long.

"Vaati; Cobra, Thunder, and Arsenic are full of hot air. They could never _kill_ anyone…They could hurt them very badly, but killing is not something they do…trust me, I know them."

"Well, I don't want to get hurt!"

"You won't, they know me. If I tell them not to hurt you, they won't." Mollie wrapped her arms around Vaati once more. "Don't worry, little Mollie will protect you."

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Sunday, June 14**

**Mollie and I are friends again!! I'm not to fond of being protected by a girl, but still! Words can't explain how happy I am!**

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Wednesday, June 11**

**I woke up this morning and I felt great! I think that Mollie might like me! I mean like me more than a friend! So here I was, I went down to the kitchen and Ezlo is there making breakfast. **

**He was frying some sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and a mix of some other seeds. Mom had made fried seeds one time. It wasn't the best thing I had tasted, but it was okay.**

**Some cheese was sitting out of the table, and a chuck of bread and some blackberry jelly sat on the small round table.**

"**Sit down, Vaati, breakfast is almost ready." Ezlo said to me. I sat down and Ezlo heaved some of the fried seeds onto a plate. "Careful, it's still hot." he continued. **

**I didn't bother touching it right away. So I just took one of the hunks of bread and started spreading jelly on it. I never really had a big appetite as opposed to my father, who didn't have a stomach, it was a bottomless pit. Sometimes I'd wonder how he was able to cram so much food down his throat without getting a belly ache. But I guess older guys can do that.**

**There was a creaking noise coming from below. It was the humans it the library moving around. I remember how much it used to bother me, the sound of humans walking around, and talking while I was trying to sleep when I first started living with Ezlo…now that I think about it, it's only been about two months since everything started happening, but it felt much longer than that.**

**I lifted up the piece of jellied bread, about to open my mouth to bite into it. Just then, some of the jelly slipped off and dropped onto my nice, clean robe! "Blackberry. It stains and it'll never come out." that's what Mom always said. The last thing I'd want was to put a permanent stain in the garb that my mom had made for me. **

**Even though the robe is purple, and so is the jelly…kind of…it's more of a purplish black. I saw that smudge on my clothes and right away, without thinking, the first thing I blurted out was, "Ohhh! Fudge!!" Except I didn't actually say 'fudge,' I said the big one! Which made Ezlo turn around and give me a look that could curdle milk.**

**He ran over to me, towering over me he let out a loud yell, "**_**What**_** did you say?!" he stared at me, he seemed very angry. I didn't know what to say. Ezlo didn't seem like the kind of person who'd allow cursing, but I never thought he'd get THIS mad. I was afraid, I knew he wanted me to answer, but if I said what I'd said before, he'd get even more upset! So what could I do?**

"**Um…" I started, repeating myself of what I'd said earlier. Ezlo pounded his fist down on the table. **

"**Never! NEVER!! Use that kind of language around here, mister!" I stared up at Ezlo. I'd never seen his this angry before, in fact, I'd never seen him angry at all! Which made this seem even weirder.**

"**But…but…" I began.**

"**No buts!" Ezlo shouted. **

"**You asked me what I said, so I told you." I said under my breath, because that's what really happened! I didn't see what was so wrong with it. I don't think he quite heard what I said, but he heard enough to know that I was talking…back to him.**

"**Don't you talk back to me!" Ezlo scolded. I wasn't going to let this old coot tell me what I can and cannot say!**

"**I can say what I want!" I said a little bit louder. This time, Ezlo heard it. Now he was really riled. Geez! It was just one little word. What's the big deal? "Sticks and stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me." Dad always told me that when the bullies at school would tease me because of the way I looked. If the names those mean kids would call me couldn't hurt me, then who was it hurting by just saying one teeny tiny word that Ezlo seemed to really hate? I just don't get it! **

**Well, you can probably guess what happened right after I said that, Ezlo's gears were really grinded now. **

"**As long as you're in my house, you do as I say!" Ezlo exclaimed. **_**Hmph! Tough guy, eh? **_

"**Well, fine! If I can't feel like I'm free here, I might as well live in a cage!" Tears filled my eyes. I had already felt like a prisoner, and this wasn't making me feel any better. I stormed out the door and headed for Mollie's house…**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Running across the town, staying close to the sides of the buildings, Vaati made his way to Mollie's house. '_It's not fair! I didn't do anything wrong! First of all,'_ he thought, '_what the heck is wrong with one little word? Two, my mother is gone, and I still haven't gotten over my trauma, and lastly, I have the right to say and do what I want, right?' _Though Vaati was thinking angrily about Ezlo, a part of the young boy felt a little sorry that he had talked back to him.

Approaching a brick, human house that had teal roof tiles, Vaati entered through the tiny door, making his way to the Harris's household. Now his eyes were practically raining cats and dogs as he knocked on their door.

He expected to see her mother or father come to the door, but to his surprise, Mollie was standing there, with a concerned look on her face. Instead of greeting her, Vaati just stood there, sobbing.

"What's wrong?" asked Mollie softly.

"I-I-I-I…" his sobbing was making him stutter and keeping him from completing his sentence.

"Yes?" Mollie said. Vaati still couldn't speak. "Come on. My parents aren't home right now, but they trust you," Mollie continued, leading him into the house. Sitting him down on a cushion in the parlor, Mollie handed him some water in a ceramic cup.

"Alright, try to calm down, and tell me what happened." she said.

"I-I can't."

"Tell me what happened?"

"…No!"

"Calm down?"

Vaati sniffed, "Mmhm." It was hard for him to calm down being how upset he was.

"Okay, try to think of something happy…maybe even funny. It always helps me." Vaati tried to think of something positive. Cobra falling in the mud…not that again…the last time Vaati thought that, he wound up making himself look bad. He tried remembering the time that he was at a new school and no one wanted to be his friend, and how relieved he felt when a boy came up to him and asked to play hide 'n' seek with him.

Vaati started calming down and felt ready to talk.

"Are you ready?" Mollie asked.

"Yeah."

"Alright then, shoot…"

"Well, it started this morning, really. Ezlo…uh, Master Ezlo, was making breakfast. I accidentally got some jelly on myself and I said…um…a bad word." Vaati paused, hoping Mollie wouldn't make him say anymore.

"…Go on." she cooed.

"And…he got really mad at me. He asked me what I said and I just repeated myself. Then he yelled at me even more. I told him he wasn't the boss of me, which he isn't, so I came here…" Mollie stared at Vaati. She sighed and put her hand on her forehead, the way Vaati's mother did when she saw Vaati's report card full of C's and D's.

"Vaati," she began, "You can't talk back to adults."

"But, he ISN'T the boss of me!"

"Everyone knows that the best way to stay out of trouble is to do what the adult says. I know you're angry, but I'm just trying to give you some helpful advice."

'_Yeah, helpful, huh? …Right.'_

Mollie continued, "Does your master know you're here?"

"No and yes. I never told him where I was going, but he probably guessed I'd come here…or…" '_My old house.'_ thought Vaati. But he didn't want to talk about his past. He started to tremble.

"…You okay, Vaati?" Mollie put her arm around him. This time, Vaati didn't mind. "Is there something more that you want to tell me?" said Mollie again. Vaati looked up at her.

"Can you leave a note for your parents and come with me?"

**Chapter Twenty Three**

Not wanting to get lost in the woods, Mollie's wrist was being held by Vaati. She ran as fast as her feet could take her, trying not to trip since Vaati ran rather too fast for her. Mollie started to feel a slight tickle in her throat, it soon turned into a big tickle and it felt as though there were spiders in her windpipe. She stopped, almost tripping herself and Vaati as she knelt down on the ground coughing continuously.

Stopping immediately in his tracks, Vaati let go and whirled around with his long hair swishing behind.

"You okay?" he asked, but Mollie kept on coughing and breathing heavily. With her chest heaving, Vaati continued, "Do you want to stop for a while?"

"No," Mollie began, talking between breaths, "I'm fine. Let's just go."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm…" a deep breath, "fine." Vaati had a hunch that something wasn't right, but without anymore delay, they took off, walking this time.

In the nick of time the two children arrived at the old Minish town. In the village square, most of the townsfolk (the people that Vaati used to greet, go to school with, and talk to) stood there watching the young boy they had once known just casually come walking through town after he had just disappeared. This put them in a state of confusion. Even though no one but his parents ever seemed to notice Vaati, it seemed like he was the most popular person in the whole Minish world.

Mollie walked patiently beside Vaati, trying to keep in her coughs. Mollie, looking up at him, Vaati just focused his eyes forward, not paying any attention to the others, as if nothing were going on in his head. This was wrong. Things were zooming through his mind at a high speed. _There's the school. There's the grocery store. There's the library. There's Mrs. Ripico's flower shop. _

Vaati and Mollie finally arrived at the small toadstool house. They stood next to the mailbox at the end of the stone path at a constant silence. Mollie had no idea whose house it was or why Vaati had brought her there.

"What's…" she coughed, "this you're showing me?"

"This was my old home," Vaati said, "this is where I've lived my whole life."

"Why aren't you living here now?" Mollie asked, forgetting that Vaati already explained what happen. Mollie covered her mouth with her sleeve and coughed on and off.

He didn't feel like talking about it, but he figured it would be the only way to show Mollie what he was going through, so she would understand.

"Not too long ago, five years, my father was killed by the shoe of a human…" Vaati explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Mollie said with yet another wheezing cough.

"And about just two months ago, there was a flood and my mother…" tears welled up in Vaati's eyes, making everything he saw a blur.

"So you're an orphan? You don't need to say anymore. I understand you must not feel like discussing the matter." Vaati was glad that he didn't need to go into further detail. Mollie began again, "Come now. Let's take you back to your master."

"I don't want to go!" Vaati whined as if he were talking to Ezlo or one of his parents. "He's going to be so mad at me!" he continued.

"We've all got to do things we don't want to. But I know that Ezlo cares about you. And believe it or not, he loves you. In fact, he's probably looking all over for you, worried sick." Mollie said.

'_You're the one who seems sick,'_ Vaati thought.

Mollie continued talking, "Um, Vaati?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you meet me near the fountain in the northwest part of town tomorrow?"

"Okay, sure…how come?"

"You'll find out when you get there." Mollie replied with a look of guilt on her face.

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Ezlo perked his head up when he heard the front door close. Peering into the living room from his office, there stood Vaati in his stained purple robe. Vaati was, at first, afraid but as soon as Ezlo blurted his first sentence, he gained confidence.

"My goodness, Vaati! Where have you been?!" Ezlo breezed into the living room and hugged his student. "I was so worried!"

'_I guess Mollie was right, he really does care about me.' _

But before Vaati could answer, Ezlo said, "Oh, never mind."

"I was just angry," Vaati mumbled, "Sorry for running away, Master." He lowered his head in disappointment.

"No, no. I'm the one who should be sorry. I was just in a tad bit of a snappy mood this morning. Anyway, that doesn't matter. What does is that you're safe, I was about to go out and look for you…Well, now that you're back, I need you to help me with something."

"What's that?" Vaati asked.

"I'm making this hat for the humans, it's a very special hat. Made to grant the wishes of whoever dons it. But I'm fresh out of thread. I need to go down to the store for some but I need someone to watch over the cap. If it fell into the wrong hands, it would be devastating. This may not seem like much, but it is a very important task. So could you do that for me, please?" Ezlo asked.

"Okay."

"Great! I need to hurry up. It's getting late and the store closes at eight," Ezlo grabbed the house keys and threw them to Vaati, "Lock the door behind me. Don't get kidnapped." Ezlo said in a joking way with a wink of his gray eye, "I'll try to hurry back! Goodbye, Vaati!"

Vaati locked the door about ten seconds after Ezlo left. Pulling up a stool, he propped his arms up on the desk that had the unfinished hat and lied his head down on his arms, gazing at the red hat.

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Ezlo strolled into the tiny shop being run by Patsy, another Minish that Ezlo knew well. The small room inside Rem's Shoe Shop was quaint and small, packed with more supplies to last three natural disasters.

"'Ello, Ezlo!" Patsy said. Her two black pigtails perked up, making her look like a puppy, looking up at its master, begging for any scrap of food it could get its paws on.

"Good afternoon, Patsy. How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. You need something?"

"Yes, do you have thread? Red if possible." Ezlo said, knowing the answer since Patsy's store was never low in stock.

"Red?! You're in luck! Got tons of it! Right here in the back room, come on with me. I've got a lot of shades, you can pick out what ever shade you want! Royal red, crimson…" She pushed up her thick, pink glasses sitting on her nose and her ponytails waved like streamers on a bicycle as she turned around.

Looking through the shelves in the storage room, Ezlo started to look around. Pictographs that looked about as old as he was, maybe older. And another one looked more recent. It was of a small girl a little younger than Vaati with black hair and the same black pigtails. Patsy.

Next to her stood a boy a bit younger than her, he looked about six or seven. His short black hair was combed back and he was dressed in decent-looking clothes.

"That's you? When you were younger?" Ezlo asked. Patsy turned her head and looked at the photo.

"Yeah. That's me and my little bro, Nick. He used to be such a sweet boy, but then he was teased and he all of a sudden acted mean. It's strange how so much can really change someone, you know?" Patsy continued skimming through the shelves. "Aha! Here we are! Red! Choose your shade." She stood to the side so Ezlo could look. He purchased a ball of royal red thread and was on his way out.

Ezlo stepped outside of Patsy's shop, on his way back to Vaati. He peered at the clock used by the humans. It was eight o' five, and the lights inside Patsy's shop were turning off. '_She had stayed open five minutes after closing for me. That was nice of her.'_ Ezlo thought and he walked off.

The voice of three young boys were heard. It wasn't the boys' voice, but it was what they were saying that caught the elder man's attention. Ezlo hid behind the shop sign and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"So, did you tell him?" one of the boys asked. Ezlo looked out from behind the sign. He saw three teenaged boys and a young girl. One of the boys had black hair, the other two with blonde. The girl had brownish blonde, wavy hair. It was Mollie!

"For the last freakin' time, Cobra! I already told him!" Mollie shouted, then coughing.

"Shh! Not so loud! And get that cough under control! You hear?!" Cobra hissed. One of the blonde boys grabbed Mollie's arm and squeezed it. Ezlo was about to dash out and give away his hiding place to stop those boys from hurting her, but he stayed where he was, wanting to get more information.

"What's wrong?! Your sister already closed her shop, Rem's asleep like always, no one's around! And quit squeezing my arm! That hurts!"

Volcano got up close to Mollie's face, "Quiet, dame! Now, let's review this again, shall we? When I say 'Vaati', you say…?"

Mollie rolled her eyes, "Medium or well-done."

Ezlo gasped. '_Poor Vaati. This is going to break his heart!'_

**Chapter Twenty Four**

When Ezlo returned home, Vaati was napping on the rug, at the foot of the stool he had been sitting on. Ezlo was afraid to break the news to him, but he knew it was the only way to keep him safe.

Ezlo knelt down next to Vaati, he was still sleeping. Ezlo shook Vaati's shoulder lightly. "Vaati," he whispered, "Wake up. I'm back." Vaati opened up his eyes.

"Oh no. I fell asleep."

"It's okay. Uh, Vaati, can you come with me for a sec?"

"Can't. Too tired." Vaati grinned. Ezlo rolled his eyes. "I'm getting too old for this." he implied as he lifted Vaati up, carrying him to his room and laying him down on his bed. Vaati started to close his eyes.

"No, wait! Vaati! I need to talk to you!" But Vaati was already in too deep of a sleep to answer back. '_I'll tell him first thing in the morning. He's not going ANYWHERE without me talking to him first. I can't let anything bad happen to him!'_

**Chapter Twenty Six**

Thursday, June 12

Vaati awoke to Ezlo sitting at his side, leaning over him. "Ezlo? What are you doing?" Vaati asked with a chuckle.

"Sorry for startling you, but there's something I need to talk to you about, something important! Very important!" Ezlo's eyes widened when he said 'very.'

"Yeah? What's that?" Vaati smiled. Ezlo looked down and started pulling off pieces of lint from the rug. He sighed sadly. "What's wrong?" Vaati asked, concerned.

"Um, Vaati…"

"That's my name! Don't wear it out!" he was in such a cheerful mood. A shame to put a stop to it.

Ezlo suspired, "You know your girlfriend?"

"Oh yeah! Mollie. What about her?"

"I don't know how to say this but…Vaati, she's…turning against you."

Vaati's mouth was wide and his eyes were as big as quarters. "What are you talking about?! I love Mollie and she loves me!"

"No, Vaati. I was coming out from the shop last night and she was with these three boys. One of the boys said "When I say 'Vaati,' you say…" and then Mollie answered "Medium or well-done." Vaati, they're planning on hurting you!"

"No, they're not!" Vaati jerked his head back. "When they were about to beat me up, Mollie stuck up for me! She would never let them do something so horrible!"

Ezlo put his hand on Vaati's cheek. "I'm doing this for your own good, you must stop seeing that girl! She's up to no good and I'm scared for you!" Vaati shoved his hand away. "Don't touch me! I don't believe you! I won't! You're just jealous that…that…that me and Mollie have a perfect relationship!" Vaati got up and ran downstairs.

"Vaati, wait! Stop! Now!" Ezlo ran after him. He grabbed his hand before he could make it to the end of the hallway.

"What did I say about touching me!?" Vaati pulled his hand away.

"No, you don't understand! You're going to get seriously injured. You might even be killed! And it's my job to protect you!" Ezlo shouted.

"Ha! Protect me, huh? Name one time you've protected me!"

"Remember that snake that you met in the forest? How it almost ate you, but I shooed him off before he could?! And what about that flood? Have you ever been wondering how you got out of the water from that flood? Have you ever wondered why you survived while the majority of the people didn't?! I saved you! You were at the very bottom of the water. When I pulled you out, you were barely alive! Not breathing, not moving, and you hardy had even a shallow heartbeat. But you know what?! I did all I could to revive you and if it weren't for me, you'd be dead!"

Vaati was speechless. Now all his questions about that horrible day were answered. But he was still in denial of Ezlo. "Just leave me alone! Okay!? Just leave me alone!!" Vaati stormed down the hall. Ezlo plunged for Vaati again, this time grabbing the collar of his robe. Gagging for a moment, Vaati glared, spun around and with a slap of his hand, Ezlo fell to the ground. Silence. Ezlo sat for a second, then got up, brushing himself off.

"That's it." he growled. "Go on out there and get murdered! See if I give a care!" Though his mouth was saying the words, Ezlo didn't really mean them. He was actually kicking himself for saying it. Vaati stood there for a second or two, then made his way out the door. '_Come back, Vaati!__'_ Ezlo thought. '_Come back!'_

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

Later at the fountain, Vaati stood, leaning up against the wall that kept the Minish from falling in. There was no sight of Mollie. _Come on, Mollie! Don't make me wait!_ Vaati wanted to meet up with Mollie right away so he could prove to Ezlo that she wasn't bad.

"Hello, Vaa-tee!" A boy's voice was heard close by. Vaati turned around. There stood Cobra, along with Thunder and Arsenic, who were each grasping tightly onto one of Mollie's arms.

"Run, Vaati!" Mollie blurted, but Thunder covered her mouth. She kicked and screamed, attempting to escape, but, unfortunately, they were too strong.

Cobra had his arms crossed as he motioned towards Vaati, who was frozen in fear.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? The little purple-hair shrimp with the stupid hat." Vaati was inches away from running, but he didn't want to prove himself a coward in front of Mollie.

"What do you want?" Vaati trembled.

"I just wanna talk, that's all!" Cobra shrugged his shoulders, but the scowl still stayed on his face. Vaati was now backed up against the wall of the fountain. Cobra continued, "Oh, Arsenic!" Cobra snapped his fingers, and Arsenic walked over to him, pulling a large piece of glass out of his right pocket and placing it in Cobra's hand.

The leader held it to Vaati's throat, Mollie was shrieking like a maniac now, and coughing into Thunder's hand. Thunder pulled his hand away. "Geez, Mollie!" He wiped his germy hand on Mollie's dress and put his hand back over her mouth before she could make any further actions.

Cobra was still holding the glass shard to Vaati's throat, "So, is this pretty lady your _girlfriend_? Did you ever go out on dates? Did you ever kiss?" Cobra said, pointing to Mollie.

"We didn't date, and we didn't kiss! She's not even my girlfriend!" Vaati fibbed the last part, avoiding anything that might make Cobra angry.

"LIAR!! I've seen you talk to her! I've seen the way you look at her! Now, I'm giving you one last chance to tell the truth: did you ever kiss her?"

'_Is there any answer that won't result in me getting hurt?'_ thought Vaati. "No, I never did!" Vaati shouted. It was true.

"Well, I've got news for you, lady's man, we've got to thank Mollie for this whole plot! If it weren't for her, we would just be standing on the sidelines, watching you two make passes at each other! But, it was Mollie who approved the whole thing."

Vaati glanced at Mollie with a look of disbelief, "…Mollie?" She couldn't answer since Thunder's hand was over her mouth. But she just looked down at the ground in shame. Though Vaati didn't want to believe that his only friend had turned against him, he did believe that there was a possibility that she betrayed him.

The thought hurt. Like a thousand knives stabbing his heart. And one, once nice, knife stabbing him in the back.

"I did like her, but we never kissed!" Vaati said to Cobra and he glared. Right away, Vaati could tell this answer didn't do either. "Guys," Cobra began, "let's get this kid!"

Thunder and Arsenic finally let go of Mollie and the three boys gathered around Vaati. Struggling to get away, Vaati _kicked his legs and swung his arms as if he were trying to escape from a kidnapper._ He felt a painful stab on one of his hands and in his left arm. In a spit second, he felt his arm snap. As he screamed in pain from the broken arm, Arsenic and Thunder lifted him up and tossed him into the fountain. With two working legs, one working arm and the other one broken, it was extremely difficult for Vaati to try to swim, also being the fact that he didn't know how to swim in the first place.

"Bye, bye! Vaa-tee!" Cobra smirked as Vaati sank to the bottom of the fountain. He was nearly drowning in the flood all over again, but this time, he wasn't sure if he would make it out alive. Not this time, because Ezlo wasn't there…

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

"Vaati! Vaati! Please, give me some sign that you're still alive!" It was Mollie's voice. Vaati's eyes snapped open and he immediately put his hand to his right arm, which was broken. His left arm and his right palm was gushing blood.

"Ouch!" he shouted.

"Oh thank goodness! Listen, Vaati…about that whole thing…" Mollie started. She coughed.

"I don't wanna hear it, Mollie!" Vaati snarled.

"No, listen to me, they threatened me! I had no choice! It was either that, or they'd seriously hurt me!"

"So, you put my life on the line!? MY life?! I thought you were my friend!"

"I AM your friend! Vaati, please! I--" Another cough.

"Quiet! The next time you decide to gamble with somebody's life, bet your own life! You were up to no good this whole time…and you made me actually care for you! I can't believe I even loved you at one point!"

"Vaati, it's not like that!" Mollie said. Vaati stood up, glaring at her, just then he noticed his ankle was sprained. "I never want to talk you again! I wish I never met you!" Vaati turned back around and was limping back home.

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**I hate Mollie! She's a no-good, dirty rotten betrayer! My arm is broken, my ankle is sprained, and I nearly drowned thanks to her! I can't believe Ezlo was right about her. And I was on her side the whole time! Now I feel awful about slapping him when all he wanted was for me to be safe. He tried to warn me, but I didn't listen! I didn't listen! I remember how I used to love Mollie! I never want to have anything to do with her again! EVER!!**

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

Ezlo stared at the tiny stitches in the red cap that he was making. He didn't want to make _any_ mistakes. Just then he heard the front door swing open. Ezlo got up from his desk and ran out of his office. Across the room, stood Vaati. Beaten up, and weak. Ezlo had a loss for words.

"…Vaati, w-what-?" Ezlo said, dumbfounded. Vaati stood there for a second or two with a defeated look about him. And with that he collapsed to the floor.

Friday, June 13

Vaati stared out the window, down at all the humans walking around the town. He couldn't go outside now. His writing arm was in a cast, his ankle was wrapped, and Ezlo discovered his left leg was cracked, so he put a cast on that too and now it had to be kept elevated. It was difficult for him to walk, plus, Vaati felt too depressed to do anything.

He just lied in bed all day for three days. Thinking about nothing but sad thoughts: his mother, his home, his whole family, but Mollie especially.

Each time he thought about her and what she and the gang of boys did to him made his blood boil in anger…But when he thought about how she listened to him when he needed someone to tell his problems to, and how she felt really bad about what happened, made his heart soften up.

The thing was, he was too weak to walk and Ezlo was in such shock after Vaati left the last time and came back with broken bones, he didn't want him to go outside anymore for a while.

Ezlo walked in with a tray of food for him. "Hey, Vaati." he said softly, not mad at him anymore.

"Hi." Vaati said without looking away from the window.

"Vaati, I warned you not to go."

"I know. But I was so sure that you were wrong about her. Maybe not Cobra, Arsenic, and Thunder, but Mollie seemed so nice."

"I told you she was up to no good."

"I know! I know!" he covered his ears, tired of hearing Ezlo say that for the past few days. Ezlo put his hand on his apprentice's knee, "Well, I have work to do. Everyone in town heard about this and they hope you get well soon…Oh, and Mollie's parents sent me this to give to you. I don't know if you'd want to read anything that the little brat wrote, but it might make you feel better." Ezlo rested a card on his nightstand. Vaati nodded and Ezlo left the room.

'_How could I be so stupid? Ezlo warned me and all I did was just push him away.'_ He was thinking about Cobra, Thunder, and Arsenic. But then he started thinking of Mollie. She said she was sorry. And he had been a little rough on her when he said that he wished he'd never met her.

'_I thought she was the bad guy, but I'm the one who should be blamed. She apologized to me, and I didn't accept. What kind of friend am I? I've never liked someone so much in the world and I can't just turn her down when she already feels badly for me.' _Vaati couldn't walk very well, but he was getting better. And when he did, the first thing he would do would be to go over to Mollie's and forgive her.

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**When I found out that Mollie and that gang of boys were plotting to kill Vaati, I was scared out of my wits! If anything bad happened to him, I'd never forgive myself. And if he were to die, it would kill me. I knew what I had to do. My Ezlo Senses told me to not let Vaati go out no matter what. **

**I got home, and he was asleep. After putting him to bed, I fell asleep right beside him and I woke myself up as early as 3:00. After all, it's hard to get much sleep when you know someone you care about is in danger. **

**When Vaati woke up, I told him what I had overhear at Patsy's shop. He didn't believe a word of it. He ran downstairs and tried to get to the door to get out, but I couldn't let him go out there and be murdered.**

**So here I was, trying to protect the helpless child and he hits me for it. That was a horrible thing, especially when I was trying to protect him. Foolish little whelp! I was so cheesed off, I didn't even care about his well-being anymore. But no sooner had I regretted it.**

**Vaati came back, beaten up. His arm was in terrible condition and he was lifting up one of his legs because it was broken. He had blood all over him and his hair and clothes were damp. It's a surprise he had made it all the way back home without fainting. He collapsed to the floor and I ran to him. He was almost dead. But I did everything in my power to bring him back. Like I said before, if he dies, so do I…**

**Chapter Thirty**

Sunday, July 5

Approximately six weeks and two days later, Vaati's leg was better, but his arm was still in a cast. His ankle had recovered days before. Now he felt much better and was ready to go over to Mollie's house to forgive her. Slipping out of his pajamas and into his hat and robe, he started for the door.

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" Ezlo said. Vaati froze and spun around, facing Ezlo. He had his hands on his hips.

"I'm going to Mollie's house." Vaati answered.

"I thought you hated her." Ezlo said.

"I thought about it, and I'm willing to forgive her."

"Oh, alright. But be back for lunch."

"Thanks, Master Ezlo!" Vaati shut the door behind himself and headed for Mollie's. Instead of risking getting stepped on, he just huddled against the buildings to avoid the humans' giant feet.

About five minutes later, he got to the brick house with teal roof tiles. Through the tiny Minish door, across the floor, avoiding the humans' white cat, he climbed the ladder up onto the rafters and made it to Mollie's door. With three knocks like the pounding of a drum, Aeron answered the door.

"Yes?" her face looked sad.

"Hi, this is Vaati. Is Mollie there?"

Aeron put her hand over her mouth and Harvey came to the door, putting his arm around his wife as she began to cry.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Harris?" Vaati asked. Aeron continued to sob, and Harvey answered for her.

"Mollie…she's very sick…on the verge of death."

**Chapter Thirty One**

"…What?" Vaati had a loss for words. "That terrible cough she had was because of an allergy to mushrooms." Harvey lowered his head. Vaati stood there, frozen. '_Allergy?! To mushrooms?! What kind of a joke is this?'_

"Alright, joke's over. No one can be allergic to mushrooms." His voice started to quiver. "I want to see her!" he started up again. And walked upstairs.

Aeron and Harvey didn't stop him, they just followed Vaati up to Mollie's room and leaned against the doorway as Vaati approached their daughter.

Mollie was lying on her bed. She looked worse than Vaati imagined. Her face was pale, the shiny golden color had come out of her hair, her lips were turning blue, and she made no movements except for blinking and the heaving of her chest. Vaati knelt by her side.

"Mollie!" He shouted. Mollie turned her head, her steely eyes looked into his red ones. She looked too weak to talk. Turning her head must have taken more energy than it did for Vaati to run a mile. Vaati continued. "Are you okay? Are you really going to die? Is this because I led you into the forest? It's all my fault! Don't die on me! You're the only friend I ever had! Don't take that away from me!" Vaati looked over at the music box sitting on the dresser. '_She must have meant me, when she said that it would be "our song" when she'd fall in love with a boy._'

There was no answer. Vaati could tell she was trying to say something, but wasn't strong enough. '_It must be that feeling like you're trapped in a tiny box and you can move, speak, or get out.'_

"Mollie, please speak to me!"

Mollie attempted talking once more. Vaati held her hand.

"Try your best! You can talk if you really try!"

She closed her eyes, then opened them again, peering at the young boy and muttered,"…Vaati…" and with that, she closed her eyes one last time, never opening them again.

Vaati sat there, Mollie's cold hand still in his warm hand. Tears formed in his eyes as he whimpered quietly, trying to keep them in. He bit his lip and stayed frozen.

Harvey put his hand on his shoulder, "She really loved you, you know." Vaati pushed his hand away and ran out the door, across town and back to Ezlo's house, with tears streaming down his face.

"What's wrong?" asked Ezlo.

"I hate her! I HATE HER!!" Vaati screamed, running up to his room. He had forgotten to tell Mollie that he forgave her. Now he felt that he should be the one apologizing to her. '_If it weren't for me, if I hadn't led her into the forest, she would still be alive.' _He read the note that she had sent him:

"_Dear Vaati,_

_I'd like to tell you again that I'm very, very sorry. It was wrong of me and I hate myself for it. Well, you probably hate me, too. But before you rip this card up, hear me out, please! I'd like you to remember all the good times we've had. I know this probably isn't a good reason for you to still like me but, I've always really loved you. I know that sounded a little sappy, but it's true. I hope you're reading this and I hope that you're willing to forgive me. You don't have to, and I can see why. Well, I just want to be friends again. Maybe not boyfriend and girlfriend, but if so, we can be friends forever, right? Me and my family hope you recover safely and as soon as possible. _

_Love, Mollie Harris" _

"We'll never be friends forever now." Vaati screamed along with some swears into his pillow, thankfully Ezlo didn't hear. But he came up to see what was the matter.

"Are you alright?" Ezlo said. Without giving him any detail, Vaati just said, "Why did you have to die and leave me here all alone!?"

"Who died?" asked Ezlo. Vaati didn't answer, he just kept crying into his pillow. Ezlo stroked his hair to comfort him. "_Alright, try to calm down, and tell me what happened_." Ezlo said. Vaati looked up at him, remembering that's what Mollie said to him. He squeezed Cuddlebuddy, trying to forget it all, but he just couldn't get it out of his head.

"I wish I never came here! I wish my mom had never even drowned in that flood. Mollie doesn't deserve me! Things would be so much better if I had never been born at all! I hate my life! I hate it! I'm a mistake!"

"Now, Vaati, that's not true. You're a very sweet boy. Mollie's lucky to have you as a friend. Don't worry, maybe this card from her will cheer you up." Ezlo picked up the card that was sitting on the floor. Vaati grabbed it and ripped it to pieces, starting to sob even harder and Ezlo left him to be alone for a while.

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Sunday, July 5**

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter Thirty Two**

Monday, July 6

Vaati woke up the next morning. The curtains were closed and the whole room was pitch black. The silence was making his ears buzz until there was a faint knock at his bedroom door. It was Ezlo, it couldn't be anyone else.

"Leave me alone!" Vaati moaned.

"Vaati, it's me, Ezlo." Ezlo said. Vaati perked up his head.

"Okay, come in." Vaati said. The elder Minish stepped up into the attic and drew the curtains. Squinting his eyes tightly, Vaati's eyes finally adjusted. Ezlo sat down at the edge of Vaati's bed.

"We need to talk." Ezlo began. Vaati gulped, knowing what was coming. Ezlo continued, "I've been wondering, ever since you came home from Mollie's crying yesterday you've seemed so…depressed. I'd like to know what's wrong. Has that Mollie said anything mean to you?…Well, Vaati?"

Vaati didn't feel like answering, he just pulled the blankets over his head and muttered something. Ezlo, waiting for a reply, sat there patiently. Vaati removed the covers from his head, only to get up to close the curtains, getting right back under the sheets after that.

"Vaati!" Ezlo said sternly, demanding an answer.

"I'm asleep!"

"I suppose you're talking in your sleep then?"

"No, I'm asleep and I'm talking to you!"

"Vaati, please tell me what's wrong. I can't stand to see you like this."

A sudden memory came back to Vaati. It was about Mollie, when they were in the café. Mollie wanted to know how his father died. Vaati did not want to talk about it, but it, but her knew it was the only way to get it off his chest. Vaati looked at Ezlo, trying to hold in his tears.

"I went over to Mollie's house to forgive her…and when I got there, her parents told me she was about to die…it was because she was allergic to mushrooms, and I had led her into the forest and showed her my old house, and that's how she got sick…I saw her, and she so weak…she could barely move, Master! She was trying to tell me something…but t-then she…" Vaati began to stutter and then started to sob, wrapping his arms around Ezlo and crying on his shoulder.

"Vaati, I…had no idea…" Ezlo stroked Vaati's hair, trying to calm him.

"I don't feel like being sympathized. Please, just go." Vaati said. Without an argument, Ezlo patted the boy's head and left.

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**From what I've heard from Vaati, it wasn't Mollie's fault, and now she's dead. It's enough having one person die in your life, but three people is too many. Vaati isn't going to get over this, I can tell. Every morning he lays in bed, disappointed that a day that will bring him more pain has just begun and at night he cries himself to sleep. Seeing him like this makes my heart ache. I can't bare to see him this way.**

**Chapter Thirty Three**

Wednesday, July 8

It was 5:00 in the morning and the sun was about to rise. Vaati laid awake while Ezlo was downstairs sleeping. The sky was a light gray, and birds were already chirping. Vaati's cold, dark attic was lonely.

He got up and left, not bothering to change out of his pajamas. Vaati closed the door slowly, so Ezlo wouldn't hear. He did not want Ezlo to come with him, he just wanted to be alone.

At the fountain, Vaati sat down and swung his legs over the side of the wall, sighing to the sound of the pouring of the water. Big, shiny rupees sat at the bottom of the water, shimmering off the reflection of the tiny bit of sunlight that was starting to show.

"Vaati?" Came a woman's voice. Vaati looked up, it was Miss Rikki. She was wearing a bathrobe.

"Hi, Miss Ri--I mean, uh, Pooka." Vaati said.

She yawned, "What are you doing up so early?"

"…Mm, I was depressed…"

Miss Rikki sat down next to Vaati, "I heard about your friend. I'm really sorry."

"That's okay." Vaati sighed again. "…Hey, Pooka?"

"Yeah?"

"…Have you ever felt…like you don't belong here? I mean like you don't fit in with everyone else?"

"I guess I felt that when I first got here about three years ago. Why? Do you feel that way?"

Vaati leaned his head against the railing. "A little."

"You've had a difficult life, I can tell. Your master told me how your parents died, and how much you miss the forest, your best friend is gone, and you feel like an outsider. I just want you to know, you're a really great kid. You're very brave to have had to deal with all of that. I know you're not the most popular person, and that you don't know many people here, but things will turn around. I can just see you next year, kids will really praise you for how strong you are. You don't need to have big muscles, and a lot of power to be strong, true strength is have a good heart, just remember that, and you'll be fine." Miss Rikki got up and left. Her words echoed through Vaati's head.

**Chapter Thirty Four **

Sunday, July 5 - Sunday, August 23

All the next month, Vaati couldn't pay attention when Ezlo was giving him a lecture. His mind started to drift and all he could think about was…everything.

"And so that, my dear boy, is why you should always stay away from animals that are much larger than you-"

'_First my father left me, five years ago, then my mother left me. Now my home isn't my home anymore.'_

"Some dogs can be friendly, but man oh man, you better stay far away from cats and cucco chicks…"

'_Ezlo always has to lecture me, doesn't he? Gah! What has this become?!'_

"So, remember, when you come across a cat or chick, what do you do?…Uh, Vaati…?"

'_I thought me and Mollie were going to be lifelong friends, maybe even…get married some day? But no, that dream is crushed for eternity.'_

"Vaati, are you listening to me?"

'_But then she had to die on me! Now the only kids even close to my age are Cobra, Thunder, and Arsenic…Ug! They resemble everything I'm afraid of!'_

"Vaati!"

'_The only friend I have left is Cuddlebuddy…and he's a stuffed rabbit! How sad…'_

"Yo, Vaati!" Ezlo snapped his fingers in Vaati's face.

"Yes, Master Ezlo?"

"Do you have any idea of what I was saying just now? Or were you just in La La Land again?" Vaati hated it when Ezlo asked him rhetorical questions.

He shrunk in his seat, "Um…La La Land, Master Ezlo."

"Just as I expected. You know, I think maybe I should give you a little talking to called "Paying Attention When Master Ezlo Is Talking". But then you'd probably daydream through that, too." Vaati slumped.

"Vaati, you've been so upset lately and you never feel like talking about it to me. I know you're upset about Mollie, and I understand, but I want you to know that you're like family to me, and that you can feel comfortable to tell me anything in the world."

"I already told you, I don't feel like it right now!" Vaati lied his head down on his desk. Ezlo rolled his eyes.

"Vaati, please put your head up, I know you're not sleeping."

"But I am!"

"No, you're not, now please, as difficult as it might be to talk about whatever it is, you've got to say something sooner or later. It's not mentally healthy for you to bottle up your emotions like this. If you keep this up, it may result in rage for you. That's why I want you to talk with me…Vaati? Vaati? Where are you?…That boy must have snuck out again!

**Chapter Thirty Five**

Huddling against the stem of a flower in the forest to keep warm, Vaati hugged Cuddlebuddy as his long hair blew wildly in the wind. His ears were frozen and his fingers were numb. He didn't want Ezlo to find him. _He doesn't understand._ Vaati thought. Cuddlebuddy complained of the cold so Vaati tucked him under his robe. Vaati was shivering, and it was making him tired. He stared up at the sky as he started to doze off…

_Not wanting to get lost in the woods, Mollie's wrist was being held by Vaati. She ran as fast as her feet could take her, trying not to trip since Vaati ran rather too fast for her. Mollie started to feel a slight tickle in her throat, it soon turned into a big tickle and it felt as though there were spiders in her windpipe. She stopped, almost tripping herself and Vaati as she knelt down on the ground coughing continuously._

_Stopping immediately in his tracks, Vaati let go and whirled around with his long hair swishing behind._

"_You okay?" he asked, but Mollie kept on coughing and breathing heavily. With her chest heaving, Vaati continued, "Do you want to stop for a while?"_

"_No," Mollie began, talking between breaths, "I'm fine. Let's just go."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_I'm…" a deep breath, "fine." _

_Vaati stared at her for a second. "No," he said, "You're not fine. We need to get you out of here pronto before anything bad happens. Come on." Vaati led Mollie by the hand out of the forest. _

Vaati gasped as he woke up in tears. He thought he had been shaken but there was no one around. It was now dark and nothing looked familiar. There was a moving light in the distance that was calling out something.

The young child cocked his head, trying to get a better idea of what it was saying.

"Vaati! Vaati!" It sounded angry. "VAATI!!" It screamed again. '_Uh oh! It's Ezlo! Me and Cuddlebuddy better get away from here!__'_

Vaati dashed off but Ezlo saw him. He was holding a lantern in his left hand and his staff with the shape of a bird head on the tip in his right.

"Vaati! Get over here!" he snapped. '_Busted!'_ Vaati figured running away would put him in more trouble than he already was. Vaati knew why Ezlo was mad so he stopped and let Ezlo get him.

"Vaati, what happened to you?! This is the third time you've just run off! You can't keep doing this!" If Vaati were his meeker, shyer self, he would have lowered his head and said, 'I'm terribly sorry, Master Ezlo. I'll never do that again. I'll be a good boy from now on.' And imagine himself with a halo over his head like in the cartoons the humans watched. But that was the old Vaati, the new Vaati wouldn't take any crap from anyone anymore.

Vaati scowled, "…Shut-up, Ezlo!" he said. Ezlo gasped.

"Dare you disrespect me like that!?"

"Why should I have to call you 'master'? My dad didn't make me call _him_ 'master'. Famous Minish sage, huh? If you're so famous, how come I've never heard of you before I knew you?! Huh? Huh? If you ask me, you're nothing but an old, dumb, senile old man!" '_Wow, I really said a mouthful there!…I didn't know I was so cool!'_

Ezlo gritted his teeth. "Come with me! Right now!" Vaati had his arms crossed but Ezlo snatched his arm and pulled.

"Hey! Let me go! I said let me go, you old goat!" But that just made Ezlo angrier and therefore, he squeezed Vaati's arm tighter. No matter how much Vaati struggled, no matter how hard he tried to bite Ezlo fingers to make him let go, he was still being dragged back to Ezlo's house.

**From Ezlo's Journal:**

**I don't know what's gotten into Vaati. He's gone from this poor, tortured soul to a monster! I'm wondering to myself if this is all my fault. Did I make him this way? What could have driven him to become such a demon? The thought of what might happen to him next scares me. Like I said, he's like a son to me, I don't know what I'd do without him. He's my life…**

**From the Diary of Vaati Picoru:**

**Monday, August 24**

I'm grounded. I have to stay in my room for **three Freakin'** **days**, I have to stay inside the house for a week, and I **don't** get any dessert after dinner. Oh yeah, after school I have to get right to my homework and absolutely no fun whatsoever. **I hate that guy! **I don't care that Mollie said that Ezlo cares about me. Even if it IS true, there's no way any of my love is going towards him! It's not going towards ANYBODY! Not even Cuddlebuddy. I **ripped** that stupid rabbit's head off and threw it in the corner of that shack I used to call my room, yesterday.

I don't trust anybody anymore. No more Mr. Nice Guy! When I was in my room last night I wrote down on a piece of paper all the ways I can get back at all the people who've hurt me. When people say "revenge isn't the answer," and "two wrongs don't make a right," they're **dead wrong**!

They'll never learn, you do something nice for them and then it's good riddance to you! At first I **couldn't **think of anything I had against Ezlo. It seemed like everything about him had to be so "perfect!" But just then I remembered that day he left me alone to watch his hat! His hat! That beautiful, red, wish-granting hat! And I heard from one of the lessons that Ezlo taught me was something about "**The Light Force**." I hear it makes you powerful or some**thing** like tha**t**.

Just think, if _I _were to get it, who knows what powers **I** could have? Hee hee! But I need that **hat of Ezlo's **first. If I can find some way of sneaking it from his desk, then that would be perfect! And who would suspect a small, miniscule **Minish **such as myself to be **The Great Wind Sorcerer Vaati**? After I get that hat, and obtain the light force, **no one **can stop **me**!!

The End…Or Is It?


End file.
